Crucible
by LittleBlondeBrit
Summary: Three months after the war has ended, the Southern Water Tribe is attacked by Fire Nation warships. Suddenly, Zuko is faced with the possibility of being plunged into another war! With the help of the group, the young Fire Lord must act quickly to find the person who betrayed him before the Fire Nation crumbles beneath his feet. Zutara.
1. A Messenger in the Night

A Messenger in the Night

Zuko leaned against the balcony railing of his chambers, glaring out into the night. Silence hung in the air like smoke, smothering the beauty of the Fire Nation capital. The people lay asleep in their beds, unaware of the message he had just received. Zuko felt the cool breeze brush passed him. Normally, the feeling comforted him, but tonight, its touch only served to temper his anger enough to think. His fist held the sheet of paper tightly, as if he could crush the enemy simply by crushing the news of the attack. With a growl, he ignited the message and flung the ashes off of the balcony and into the gardens below.

Turning to the servant who had brought the scroll, Zuko barked, "Wake the Avatar, Ambassador Sokka, and Masters Katara and Toph. Have them meet me in the throne room immediately."

"Yes, my Lord." The servant bowed and hurried toward the door.

Zuko stopped him, "Wake my uncle also." Iroh had arrived to visit his homeland a few weeks before. Zuko was glad he happened to be here now. "His council would be appreciated." The servant bowed again and left. Sighing, Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose and turned toward the flickering lights of the city laid out before him. He had known peace would not be so easy, but he hadn't expected this. He took a deep breath and went back inside to dress.

*/*/*

Katara yawned heavily. She was half-asleep, and probably looked as bad as she felt. She hated being woken in the middle of the night. Why couldn't emergencies show up in the morning, rather than at midnight? If it hadn't been for the messenger's help, she might've gotten lost on the way to the meeting, she was that tired. She yawned again and pushed aside the curtain blocking the entrance. Inside, she saw the long war table that had been placed in front of the steps, which lead up to the dais that was the Fire Lord's throne. A blazing line of fire blocked the path to the dais, providing the only light in the room. Her brother, General Iroh, and Aang were already waiting. _Trust Toph to be late_ , she thought. Trying not to stumble from exhaustion, she walked over to Aang and slipped her arm around him, leaning her head against his.

Aang absent-mindedly pulled her into him and rubbed her back, "Hey, Sweetie."

She smiled in response, "Hey. Do you have any idea what's going on?"

"Nope. Not a clue. My message just said it was urgent."

"Mine too." said Sokka, "I don't like this." He eyed them disgustedly, "And seeing you two like that is making it worse."

Katara giggled, "Sokka, you and Suki go around the palace kissing and giving each other googly eyes."

"We do NOT give each other googly eyes!" Sokka's voice cracked. "Besides, you're my baby sister! It's gross!"

Iroh chuckled, "Do not worry, Sokka. Seeing young lovers together is like a bitter drink. In time, you will get used to it."

Aang smiled, but it was quickly overshadowed by worry, "Guys, whatever is going on must be important. Zuko wouldn't have called us if it wasn't."

"Don't worry, Aang", Katara squeezed his hand, "I'm sure he'll tell us soon enough."

"Hey, what's going on?" Toph asked as she entered the room.

"We aren't sure." Sokka said, "Zuko didn't tell any of us, and we just got here ourselves."

"We are waiting on him to arrive." Iroh elaborated, "I am sure we will not have to wait much longer."

The curtain was pushed aside and Zuko strode into the room, dressed in his formal robes. Katara could tell he was angry. Next to her, Aang frowned. This news could not be good. Sokka leaned into her, "I wonder what's got him all fired up." He nudged her side and raised his eyebrows to emphasize the joke, a stupid grin lighting up his face.

Toph punched his arm, "Shut up, Snoozles. This has to be serious for him to wake us in the middle of the night! Especially with the way you sleep."

Zuko marched confidently up the steps. He parted the flames before him and sat on the dais. Katara remembered the first time he had sat there among them, three months before.

 _"Are you sure, Aang? I feel… ridiculous. You're my friends, for Agni's sake!"_

 _"Zuko", Aang said with a chuckle, "After all the work we went through to put you on the throne, you might as well sit on it. It is your rightful place. Take it."_

Zuko had no hesitation now. He waited until all five of them had taken their seats around the war table and then began. "I just received an urgent message from Chief Hakoda. The Southern Water Tribe has been attacked."

"WHAT!?"

Katara was the first to speak, "Was anyone hurt?" She was wide-awake now.

Zuko's gaze softened slightly as he registered her alarm, "The Tribe was able to hold the attackers at bay, but they did sustain a few losses. Some of the warriors were left with serious injuries. However, before you ask, your family is fine."

Katara let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Next to her, Sokka also sighed in relief. Their family was safe, at least.

Iroh spoke up, "Nephew, if the Tribe managed to protect themselves successfully, why did Hakoda send an urgent message to you?"

The fire surrounding the dais seemed to flare briefly before Zuko replied, "Because they were attacked by three Fire Nation warships."

Silence.

"I thought all Fire Nation ships were recalled." Aang said hesitantly.

"They were."

"Then why are these ships still active?"

"I don't know. All the ships and outposts active at the end of the war were sent hawks with an order to cease fighting, and those out at sea were ordered to return to harbor. All sent responding messages saying they had done as ordered."

"It's true," said Iroh, "I read each message personally."

"Well obviously," Sokka said, matter-of-factly, "someone disobeyed orders."

"Thank you, Sokka. Your skills of deduction are astounding." Katara snapped. _Of all the times for him to be an idiot._ Stating the obvious didn't help anyone in this situation. "How it happened doesn't matter. We need to decide what to do now."

"It does matter!" Toph countered, "What if these aren't the only ships unaccounted for? What if this happens again?"

Aang and Zuko shared a glance. Aang sighed, "Toph is right. We need to think about how this could impact other villages elsewhere in the world. If there are any other defected ships, we need to know."

Zuko stared at the floor for a few moments, his hands clenched on his knees, "I wish I could assure you that no other ships have gone rogue, but it appears I can make no such promise." He looked up, "But I can promise you that I had nothing to do with this."

Katara was shocked. How could he think any of them were blaming him? "Zuko, we know that! No one is accusing you of anything! We just need to make sure this is stopped. No one here wants another war when we finally have peace."

His amber eyes seemed to search hers for a moment before he nodded half-heartedly, "Thank you, Katara."

Iroh cleared his throat, and all eyes turned toward him. "I suggest we take time to think about how to react to this. This is grave news, but there is little to be done about it now. With a good night's rest, I'm sure we can find a way to resolve this issue." After a moment's thought, everyone reluctantly voiced their agreement.

Zuko nodded again, "Then we can reconvene at noon tomorrow. For obvious reasons, we should keep this among ourselves." Everyone nodded.

Aang spoke, "Sokka, you may want to bring Suki to tomorrow's meeting. Kyoshi is a small place, and it's pretty close to the South Pole. She needs to be told."

Sokka nodded thoughtfully, "Agreed. I'll let her know."

Zuko stood and began walking down the steps, "Tomorrow then. Good night, everyone." He walked passed all of them and out the curtain.

Aang sighed and rose, "Good night. See you in the morning." He bent down and kissed Katara's cheek, and then followed Zuko into the hall. Toph and Sokka said goodnight and left, discussing how much they hated seeing her and Aang fawning over each other. As if that subject could wipe what she had just heard out of existence. Katara was left alone with Iroh.

Suddenly, the true weight of the news hit her. Her body seemed to deflate; she leaned her elbows on the table and put her face into her hands. She felt sick. There hadn't been a raid in years. Well, there had been the day they met Zuko, but he hadn't hurt anyone in the end. No, the last _real_ raid on her Tribe had been when she was eight. The day her mother died. She didn't know what she would've done if she had lost Gran-Gran, her Dad, or even Master Pakku, who had only recently joined their family. She had just been starting to feel like they could live in safety. She had just been starting to feel that maybe now, they could be a real family again. How ironic that now, at the end of the war, was the time when she should be the most afraid of losing them.

Iroh, like always, seemed to know exactly how she was feeling. "Katara, I am truly sorry to hear what happened to your Tribe. I do not know how any ships could have defied orders and gotten passed our sentries."

Katara took a deep breath, "It's ok, General Iroh. I honestly don't blame you or Zuko. I just want to make sure the situation is controlled."

"I understand. Thank you for telling my nephew that. I think he places too much expectation on himself."

"He does. He was pretty angry just now."

"Yes. I hope that tomorrow he will have had a chance to clear his head."

Katara smiled weakly, "I'm sure we all will have. Good night, General Iroh."

He smiled in return, "Good night, Katara."

Katara rose and headed back to her room, her exhaustion doubled by the circumstances.

*/*/*

Zuko marched through the curtain and down the hall, waving away his two guards Rochan and Katsu as they started to follow. He didn't think about where he was going, nor did he care; He just needed to move. He briefly considered going to the practice arena, but he decided that, without a sparring partner, bending wouldn't be enough to curb his emotions. Why did he feel this angry? He knew this might happen. This shouldn't be so surprising to him. Maybe because the attack was directed towards his friends' home? Maybe because he could have stopped it? But he couldn't have stopped it, could he? Though he had expected some form of resistance, everything they had planned for was a direct retaliation against him. An assassination attempt, or an attack on the men sent to tear down Fire Nation outposts in the other nations. Not an attack on civilians, and certainly not on the Water Tribe.

He looked up and was surprised to see himself standing in front of his old room. He hadn't been back here in a while, since the Day of Black Sun, in fact. He reached out his hand hesitantly and pushed open the door. It was just as he had left it. He went in and closed the door behind him. Slowly, he crossed to the four-poster bed in the middle of the room. He felt calm here, among his childhood. Among the memories of a time before his life had changed for the worse. Taking the royal crown out of his topknot and setting it on the nightstand, he let himself fall backward until the bed caught him. Here, he could think.

He closed his eyes. Suddenly, Katara's face flashed in front of him. The panic in her voice rang in his ears.

" _Was anyone hurt?_ "

The South Pole was her home. Sokka's home. Their family was there. Though the reconstruction was going well, the South was still an easy target. She had every right to panic. But she shouldn't have to.

Who was he if he couldn't help his friends? Who was he if he couldn't stop his own people from terrorizing them? The title of Fire Lord meant nothing if he couldn't keep them from harm. He was only here because of them.

Absently, he placed his hand on his stomach. Through his robes, he felt nothing, but he knew the scar was there, nonetheless. He sighed.

He had nearly died to protect Katara. That day, when he had realized what Azula was about to do, he risked it all without a second thought. He sorely wished he could've protected her people from this attack, that he could've protected her from this fear.

What was the point of being in power if he couldn't protect the innocent?

The door creaked and Zuko shot to his feet in surprise. Years of training guided his body into a defensive stance automatically.

Mai slipped in through the opening and closed the door behind her. He relaxed, "Oh. Mai. It's just you."

She scoffed, "Of course it's me, silly. Were you expecting an assassin?" She smiled, "They would have to be pretty sloppy to come through the door."

Zuko shuffled, embarrassed, "You just surprised me. How did you know I was here?"

"You weren't in your chambers, so I asked your guards. When they said you had stormed off, I guessed you had to be in the gardens, or here."

It didn't surprise him that she had gone looking for him. Often, Mai would come to his chambers to be with him, at night or during the day when his duties allowed. Since his coronation, her family had been given a set of rooms in the palace due to their relationship. They were able to eat together, take walks, and, in general, meet whenever they wanted. Zuko sat back on the edge of the bed.

Mai crossed the room and sat next to him, placing her arm gently around his shoulders and taking hold of his hand with her free one, "You look upset. Is everything ok?"

"No." He debated how much he could share with her; "There was an attack today on the South Pole. It looks like we may be in for some difficulty keeping the peace."

Mai nodded, "I'm sorry to hear that. Sounds like you need to relax." She turned his face towards hers and kissed him gently on the lips.

Zuko kissed her back for a second, but when she began to deepen the kiss, he pulled away, "Mai, not right now-"

She interrupted, "Zuko, it's ok. Let me take your mind off of this for a few hours."

She kissed him again and he sighed. He didn't want to hurt her feelings. She was right; He needed to relax. Maybe this would help him to feel better.

Gently, he kissed her and let his kisses trail along her jawbone to her neck. She sighed and began fiddling with his robes. He stood and lifted her with him. Between kisses, she managed to undo the heavy fabric and lift it over his head, until he was left in just his light pants. She drew him to her again and he held her in a soft embrace. The fingers of one hand gently trailed through his hair and down over his chest. Then, she slipped out of his arms and turned around, lifting her hair out of the way, "Help me undo my dress?"

He smiled absently and did as she asked, slipping the soft silk down over her shoulders, her back, her waist, until it fell in a heap of red and black on the floor. She was beautiful, he thought, and he wanted her, but the feelings of anger and confusion he had felt before still lingered in the back of his mind. They buzzed around in his head, and he couldn't focus properly.

He let her slip his pants to the floor, and as she embraced him again, he pressed his body against hers until they were lying on the bed. Kissing her lovingly, he allowed himself to fall into the motion of her body beneath his, of her hands trailing over his back and through his hair, of her softly moaning his name, and her gentle cries of pleasure.

In her arms, his body relaxed, and slowly, his mind followed.


	2. Difficult Discussions

Difficult Discussions

 _Zuko awoke to blinding white. Freezing wind pelted his face with fury, and ice stung his cheeks as small pellets were thrown his way. Everything around him swirled like silver ink in water, a cloud so thick he could make out nothing through the confusion._

 _Squinting, he lifted his hand over his eyes, and was surprised to find it was gloved. He looked down at his body and found he was completely covered in Water Tribe furs._

 _From somewhere to his right, he heard a shift in the sound of the howling snow: a small rise in the pitch of the storm's voice. "Hello?" Nothing. But he could have sworn he heard something. Slowly, fighting the wind in his face, which seemed determined to carry his body far away in its clutches, Zuko began to walk in the direction of the change. His body began to ache, but he kept going. He was sure he heard something._

 _That's when the screaming began. At first he thought it was the wind, but as he grew closer to what he guessed was the source of the sounds, he heard the shift again. No longer the deep moaning of the blizzard, but higher, more urgent. More human._

 _Zuko began to run. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to stop, but the screams he heard were louder. They urged him forward like sirens calling to their prey. He had to reach them._

 _Gradually, the white swirling of the storm began to part. Gray shapes began to appear and grow until they were no longer just shapes, but Water Tribe people, running toward him in absolute terror. The screams came from them. Pushing passed them, Zuko kept running. On several occasions, he was knocked to the ground, but he kept running. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to find out what they were running from._

" _Get away from my sister!"_

 _Sokka?_

 _Zuko pushed through the crowd, frantically searching for his friend. Suddenly, a bright flash of fire lit up the sky. Through the snow, it was even more terrifying than it should have been, a strange dance of orange flame licking through the ice, consuming every last drop in its path._

 _Zuko pushed toward the source of the flame until he stumbled out into open space. Before him knelt a dark haired girl, sobbing next to the body of a boy in the snow. His clothes were charred and from how he was lying, Zuko could tell he had been thrown._

 _The girl looked up at him. His eyes widened in shock, "Katara!"_

" _Zuko!" she screamed, "Run!"_

 _Another flash of fire broke through the storm. Zuko turned towards it and saw a man walking slowly towards them. His laughter filled the air, horrible and cruel. Zuko saw red: This was the man who had burned Sokka, the man who was going to hurt Katara._

 _Zuko let out a roar fueled by pure rage. He leapt at the man and tackled him to the ground, knocking off his helmet in the process._

 _Zuko stared in shock as his own face grinned back at him in the snow._

 _*/*/*_

Zuko bolted upright with a cry. Mai was awake in seconds, "Zuko! What the hell?"

Realizing her abrasiveness, she softened, "Are you ok?"

Zuko sighed and muttered. "Yes, everything's fine."

Mai yawned and rolled over, " Ok, go back to sleep."

Zuko nodded half-heartedly. He knew he wouldn't fall back to sleep anytime soon. He didn't want to experience that dream again. "Mai", he said hesitantly, "Could you stay awake with me?"

Mai raised her head and looked over her shoulder, slightly annoyed, "Zuko, you need to sleep."

"I can't"

She turned to face him, "Seriously, Zuko? ... You said everything was fine."

He ran his hand through his hair, "I just feel restless. There's too much going on right now."

Mai met his lips with soft kiss and ran her hand down his neck. Zuko pushed her hand away, "No."

He got out of bed and paced over to the window. Opening it, he leaned on the windowsill and watched the light expanding on the horizon. Mai got up too and embraced him from behind, laying her head on his back. Gently, he released her grip and moved away from her embrace. Mai looked hurt, "I'm sorry Zuko. I just wanted to help."

"I know."

She raised her hand as if to touch his arm, but he turned away, "Just leave me alone."

Mai looked away and nodded, looking as if she was holding back tears. She turned and went back to bed, facing away from him. Zuko pinched the bridge of his nose; thoughts still rambled through his brain.

He knew he had hurt Mai, but he couldn't explain his feelings to her. He wanted to go to her, to tell her he hadn't meant it, but deep down, he knew that wasn't true. She wouldn't understand anyway. She never did.

"You know you can talk to me, right?" Mai whispered. Zuko looked back from the window. "No", he said quietly, "I can't. "

Mai's back answered him with silence.

Zuko sighed. Getting into his tunic and pants, he walked to the door and stepped out of the room.

Walking through the corridors eventually lead him outside, to his mother's garden. The crisp morning air felt good on his skin. Taking a deep breath, he walked over to the turtle duck pond and sat down against the rough bark of the bonsai tree. Looking up at the sky, he knew this day would be a very long day.

*/*/*

Katara hadn't slept since the meeting. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw her family. She had almost lost them.

In a desperate attempt to calm herself, she had taken a bath. The feeling of the water surrounding her, the bubbles lifting her hair, and the sweet scent of the jasmine soap had helped, but when she got out, she still couldn't relax enough to sleep. She gave up trying when she heard the birds outside her window.

With a groan, she rolled out of her bed. Maybe a little waterbending would help. The stances always calmed her thoughts and made her feel as if all her worries were floating away on ocean waves. But here, in the middle of the Fire Nation palace, where could she go? Somewhere outside, where she could focus on the sound of the water flowing, and feel its motion. Sure, she could do it in her bathroom, she did have the tub, but natural water felt nothing like a bathtub.

With a flash, it came to her. The garden! There was a pond there. It was man-made, but it was better than the tub, and here, it was probably the best she would get.

Slipping into her clothes, she withdrew into the hallway.

Finding her way through the corridors was tricky without a guide, but she managed to find the one that lead outside, and followed the covered walkway. She was pretty surprised to see Zuko sitting by the water.

He looked like he was sleeping. His head was resting back against the bark of the tree he was under, and, for a moment, Katara considered whether she should enter the garden at all. She didn't want to wake him.

However, a dragonfly hummingbird did it for her. The bird danced gracefully around the young Fire Lord's body, before getting a little too close to his ear. Zuko startled and swatted at the bird instinctively. The bird avoided his hand, and made it out unharmed. The same could not be said for Zuko's nap. Groaning, he leaned forward and rubbed the bridge of his nose, resting his elbow on his knee.

Katara decided to go ahead and announce herself. She walked across the grass towards him, "Zuko!"

Zuko nearly jumped out of his skin. He looked around frantically before he registered her location. He relaxed, "Oh… Hey Katara."

Despite herself, she laughed. She sat down in the grass beside him, "Hey. You couldn't sleep either?"

He shook his head.

Absently, Katara bent a small stream of water out of the pool, weaving it in and out of her fingers with one hand. The motion was similar to one of Aang's coin tricks. For a while the pair sat together in silence.

"You know", she looked over at him, "I meant what I said earlier."

"What?"

"About no one blaming you for the attack."

"Oh. Yeah. I know."

Silence. Something was clearly bothering him.

Katara streamed the water back into the pond, "Hey, are you ok?"

He sighed, "Just a nightmare."

"What about?"

He hesitated, "You actually."

"Me?"

"Well, the attack. I was caught in a blizzard, and I heard screaming. When I ran towards it, I saw you and Sokka being attacked by a firebender. Sokka had already been seriously hurt. You told me to run, but instead, I got angry and I knocked the man to the ground. Except … it was me under the helmet."

Katara stared at him in shock, "That's why you jumped when you heard me?"

He chuckled, "That and the fact that I was half asleep when you yelled."

"Oh … Sorry about that."

"It's ok."

Zuko ran one hand over his head. Katara suddenly realized how exhausted he looked. It was easy to forget that he was only seventeen. No seventeen year old should have had to deal with the problems that Zuko had – that any of them had. But the world was not so forgiving. Katara remembered the broken boy who had come to them after the Day of Black Sun, unsure of his place in the world. She remembered how she had threatened him back then. She held none of that mistrust now.

 _Was it only three months ago that he saved my life? Just three months since he was crowned Fire Lord, and we put an end to the war?_

He was still a child in so many ways. Just like her. But both of them, all of them, had been forced to grow up early.

"Zuko, this really isn't your fault. You couldn't have known about the rogue ships."

His golden eyes flashed with anger, "But I SHOULD have known! They're MY ships!"

"You can't know everything!"

He stood up suddenly, "What do I know about running a nation? I was stupid to think I could just come right on in and take the throne! What's the point of me being here if I can't stop MY OWN SHIPS from hurting MY FRIENDS?" The dewy grass around his feet began sizzling and steaming.

Katara stood up and put her hand on his shoulder, ignoring the heat radiating from him, "Calm down. You're going to burn something."

His eyes widened slightly and he turned away from her, taking deep breaths as if he were meditating. Once he was calm, he turned towards her again, "Sorry. I just … Remember when I came to join the group and I burned Toph by accident?"

"Yes?"

"I feel like I did then. I feel like I messed up. And someone I care about paid the price for it."

Katara hugged him, and he leaned into her.

"Zuko, we're going to figure this out. Together. This is not your fault."

She felt him nod, and he pulled away from her. She let him. They both sat down again under the tree.

Suddenly, Katara didn't want to get back up again. All the exhaustion from that night caught up with her. Her arms and legs felt heavy. As the morning birds sang, the humid, cool air kissed her face gently. She was leaning against something warm, and honestly, the ground wasn't that uncomfortable. Before she knew it, she had dozed off.

*/*/*

Iroh wasn't too surprised to find the young waterbender and the Fire Lord sitting under the bonsai tree together. He was, however, surprised to find them with Katara's head resting on Zuko's shoulder, and Zuko's head resting on top of Katara's, as if it was perfectly natural for the two of them to fall asleep this way.

He chuckled to himself. He knew the two shared a deep mutual friendship that allowed them to be open and honest with each other. But this was just too good an opportunity to pass up.

Iroh gently placed his hand on Zuko's shoulder to wake him, "Zuko."

Zuko's eyes opened slowly, "Uncle?" His eyes focused, and he suddenly realized where he was, "Uncle! What time is it?" He glanced down at his shoulder, noticed Katara leaning on him, and jerked away in surprise. His sudden motion stirred her, and she briskly sat up, blushing, "Um, sorry Zuko … I guess I must've passed out.'

Zuko cleared his throat awkwardly, "It's fine."

"It's almost high noon." Iroh said, "The meeting is about to start. Both of you should go and get ready."

Katara stood up and brushed herself off, "Thanks, General Iroh." She turned to Zuko, "I guess I'll see you there."

Zuko nodded, "Thanks for the talk."

She smiled and left the garden.

Iroh raised his eyebrow at Zuko. Zuko's nervousness seemed to increase three fold, "It was just a talk, Uncle. I needed to clear my head."

Iroh stayed silent, keeping his skeptical expression. He knew their nap in the shade had been perfectly innocent, but he enjoyed messing with his nephew.

"Agni, Uncle!" Zuko snapped in annoyance, "Nothing happened! Katara and I just fell asleep!"

Iroh chuckled, "If you say so, Nephew. Come. We have important decisions to make today."

Zuko sighed, "You're right. Let's go."

As the two of them were headed out of the garden, a flash of light caught Iroh's eye. He turned, causing Zuko to do the same. Zuko's formal robes were sitting on the bannister of the walkway, folded haphazardly.

On top of them sat the royal crown, glinting in the sunlight.


	3. The Art of Defense

The Art of Defense

" _Aang, are you absolutely certain Zuko is not responsible for the attack?"_

" _Yes, Roku. Zuko would never do something like that. And why would he call a meeting about it if he were? The only thing that would do is alert us to the issue."_

" _Hakoda did send a message. It could be that he realized he could not keep it from you any further."_

" _No. He is my friend and my teacher. He wouldn't do that."_

" _Very well, Aang. I trust your judgment. Just remember, Sozin was my friend once too. I thought I knew him, but he betrayed me. He betrayed the world. Be careful how you proceed with this incident."_

" _Yes, Master. What do you recommend?"_

" _If Zuko really is innocent of this order, then you must act carefully. You do not know who may be acting against his power. In addition, I suggest you keep your eye on Zuko himself. He may not be responsible, but his decisions must be made in pursuit of peace. He cannot allow himself to lose sight of balance in this matter. He needs your guidance, Aang. Stay with him and be a voice of reason."_

" _Master … If you had stayed with Sozin …"_

" _He may have listened to me. I might have stopped the war. Do not let yourself carry the same regrets I carry, Aang. Do not lose sight of what is important."_

" _Thank you, Roku. I will heed your advice."_

Aang broke the connection and clasped the meditation beads back around his neck. Looking up at the sun, he could tell the time for the meeting was almost there. He jumped down from the roof of his room onto the balcony and came inside through the opened window. Grabbing some clean robes, he slipped into the adjacent bathroom, shaved his head, as he did every morning, and changed. Then, feeling anxious, he grabbed his glider and left the room.

*/*/*

"The White Lotus members have been informed of the attack," Iroh stated, "They have been alerted to bring any possible information regarding this incident directly to me. With any luck, we can investigate this quietly, without word of the attack spreading too far."

The meeting had been going on for a while at this point, and Aang was getting frustrated. Iroh, Suki, Sokka, Katara, and Toph all sat around the war table in the throne room with him. The flames of the stage were lit, and on the other side of the fire, Zuko sat on the dais.

Aang sighed. He knew this was important, and he would do anything to help protect the Southern Tribe from harm, but still, his body itched to get out of the stuffy, hot room and out into the open air. Despite the fact that it was nearing the beginning of winter, the Fire Nation didn't get very cold, and the flames in the room made it hotter than he felt comfortable with. He had no idea how Zuko could sit immediately behind them in his heavy robes.

Toph shrugged, "The attack was on the Water Tribe. Why would it matter if word got out here? It's not like people would panic."

"No," Zuko replied from his throne, "But it could undermine my authority. If these ships didn't obey orders, why would anyone else? There have been small groups of resistance popping up who oppose the idea of helping the other nations; they believe the Fire Nation is inherently superior and that the other nations don't deserve help from us. However, so far, none of them have caused any significant issues."

"But if word got out … ?" Sokka's question hung in the air.

"Let's just say we don't want to give them any ammunition."

Zuko looked deep in thought, "We can't lose what little trust we have already built with the Water Tribes. Chief Hakoda trusts me because he trusts you two, but the rest of the Tribe may not be so forgiving. If you were to advocate for the Fire Nation, it would minimize the damage of these attacks."

Sokka glanced at Katara, a silent question being passed between them. She nodded, "I agree with Zuko, Sokka. Right now, the best thing we can do to help is go home and try to stop rumors spreading."

Sokka nodded, "Ok. We'll both go then."

Suki sat next to Sokka, her hand in his, "I need to go home too."

Sokka seemed hurt at the prospect of being separated from her again, "Are you sure? You could come to the South with me?"

'No, Sokka", Suki said gently, "The Kyoshi Warriors are the only protection my village has. I, Ty-Lee, and the other girls are honor bound to serve Kyoshi Island. Even the Unagi might not be able to stop three Fire Nation warships" She glanced at Zuko, "No offense, Zuko, but you of all people know how devastating even one ship full of Fire Nation men could be to Kyoshi."

Zuko didn't look very comfortable about being reminded of his past actions, but he nodded, "Suki's right, Sokka. If Aang hadn't been there when my men attacked, we would have burned that village to the ground. If even one ship gets through, Suki and the Warriors need to be there."

"Yeah. I guess you're right." Sokka sighed. He kissed Suki on the cheek, "Just promise me you'll send a hawk on occasion to let me know you're ok."

"I promise." Suki kissed his cheek back.

Aang's heart twinged. He remembered his conversation with Roku, " _Stay with him and be a voice of reason._ " If Katara and Sokka were going home, did that mean he couldn't go with them? He'd have to be away from Katara, and she could be in danger if another attack happened.

"Ok, ok, lovebirds." Toph piped up, "So Sokka and Katara are going to the South, and Suki's going to Kyoshi. What about the rest of us?"

Aang made his decision. He turned to Katara, "I can come with you. Appa will be much faster than any ship."

"Actually," Zuko countered, "I was thinking about that. This would be a bit of a gamble, but I would be able to send a small fleet with Fire Nation soldiers to help defend the Tribe. Hakoda and his men were barely able to hold them off, even with the Northern waterbenders' help. I thought it might be a step towards proving the Fire Nation is still supporting the effort for peace."

"Um … Zuko," Katara said gently, "A fleet of warships arriving at the South after an attack like this? Might not be the best idea."

Sokka nodded, "The village fleets have a combined total of about one hundred and twenty men, and with the Northern Waterbenders who moved down to help out, there are about one hundred and forty people defending the South. The goal of the attack must have been to cause panic, because even with the territorial advantage, it's a miracle the South survived. A show of force like that would cause more distrust and fear."

"I know, I know." Zuko said, holding up his hand, "But a show of force could be the only way to defend the South from further attacks. The ships can stay out of sight, but provide a protective barrier against the enemy ships. A traditional cruiser holds about fifty soldiers, in addition to the crew. Five ships would be enough to outnumber the enemy, and hold off any additional surprises they might be hiding. If you arrive on one of them, it will also reduce fear. Besides, Aang, I may need your help here with the Earth Kingdom if this does become common knowledge. King Kuei and I are still negotiating the terms regarding the colonies."

Aang sighed, "Yeah, I guess you're right. If they arrived on Appa, the ships might be seen as another invasion. If we're going to do this, it needs to appear as friendly as possible."

Iroh cleared his throat, "I agree, Nephew, it is a risk, but it is a calculated one. If this is going to work, you must be careful about whom you place in command of the men on board. Their conduct will be very important to the success of this plan."

Zuko smiled, "Uncle, I think Lieutenant Jee has more than earned a promotion for his services during our banishment. How does Commander Jee sound to you?"

Iroh laughed, "That sounds perfect, Nephew."

"Dad has to know. If we do this, the ships should stay hidden. They're less likely to cause panic that way." Sokka seemed to be deep in thought.

Zuko returned his focus to Katara and Sokka, "If you think this is a bad idea, I won't send the ships. But I want to help however I can. These people attacked my friends. I can't stand by and do nothing."

Was it Aang's imagination, or was that last part directed more towards Katara? He was guessing the two had talked sometime this morning. Katara was good at talking to people. Honestly, the ship idea wasn't bad, but deep down, Aang wished the two siblings would say no. He would stay with Zuko if he needed to, but at least it would give him a few days more with Katara before they left.

Katara glanced at Sokka, who shrugged and said, "I'm on board if you are … Uh, no pun intended."

She turned to face Aang, but he looked away. He didn't want to influence her decision. This was entirely up to her.

Katara took a deep breath, "Ok, Zuko. We'll try it. But Dad has to be told the entire plan."

He smiled readily, "Agreed."

Aang slumped in his seat. Katara seemed to understand. She patted his hand gently and mouthed _Later_.

"Aw, cheer up, Twinkle-Toes!" Toph must've sensed his body language. "You'll have me and Sparky to keep you company!"

"You're staying?"

"Well yeah. Ice … doesn't do much for my eyesight, if you catch my drift. Here, I can help."

"Toph?" Iroh questioned, "What do you mean, help?"

"Oh right." She said off-handedly, "I forgot you didn't know. My earthbending doesn't just let me see. I can also sense other people's heartbeat and breathing patterns. It isn't one-hundred percent accurate, but it's a good indicator of if they're telling the truth or not."

"I guess I could help with that too." Aang said.

Toph snorted, "No offense, Twinkle-Toes, but your seismic senses aren't exactly fine-tuned. But if you want to, I guess I can tolerate an amateur tagging along."

Aang chuckled, "I appreciate that, Toph."

Iroh chuckled too, "Well, Master Toph, I would most certainly appreciate any help you can provide."

Zuko smiled before lifting his hand, "So Sokka and Katara will take a fleet to the South, and drop off Suki at Kyoshi along the way. Aang, Toph, Uncle, and I will deal with the investigation here. We'll do what we can to track down the traitors. Does anyone have anything else to add?"

Everyone shook their heads. Aang held back his concerns regarding Katara leaving. This wasn't the time or place. Their plan was risky, but it made strategic sense, and Aang couldn't argue that it was flawed. He just didn't want to put Katara in danger like that.

"Ok then." Zuko rose from the dais, "I will make the necessary arrangements. You should be able to leave the day after tomorrow. You should pack your things."

As he stepped down off of the dais, everyone else rose and began to leave. Aang grabbed Katara softly by the hand, "Hey, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Sweetie." She smiled.

Aang led her out of the room and down the hall.

*/*/*

Katara followed Aang until they were in a relatively out-of-the-way corridor. She had noticed how he reacted to the plan in the meeting, and she guessed that he was upset about the two of them being separated. Since the war ended, they had completed every mission together. There had never been a need for them to split up.

Once they were alone, Aang faced her and took a deep breath, "Katara, I don't want you to go to the South Pole."

She had expected as much, "Aang, I have to go. My family needs me, and if any suspicions against Zuko start to surface, we need to help get rid of them."

Aang looked nervous, "I know, but can't Sokka do that without you?"

"He could, but I want to go. And both of us being there will be better than just Sokka."

"Katara … It's dangerous. You could get hurt and I won't be there to protect you."

Katara's eyebrows shot up. She leaned back and put her hands on her hips, "Protect me? I'm a waterbending master, Aang. I can protect myself."

Aang blushed. He rubbed his head anxiously, "That's not what I meant. I just … worry about you."

Katara hadn't meant to sound so defensive. She knew Aang didn't mean to, but she was used to being underestimated. She sighed and forced herself to relax, "Aang, I have to go. Last night … last night was one of the worst nights I've ever had. I couldn't stop thinking about what could've happened. I need to see them. I need to know they're ok."

Aang sighed, "I understand. I just don't like not being with you."

Katara hugged him, "You could come with us? You don't have to stay."

He returned the hug, "I do. You heard Zuko. King Kuei hasn't made negotiations regarding the colonies easy, and I'm needed here. Besides," he pulled away, "I talked to Roku this morning."

"What did he say?" Katara asked.

Aang sighed, "He said he thinks Zuko needs someone to help him stay balanced. A voice of reason. I tend to agree. Seeing him last night … well, it'd be easy for him to give in to his emotions and make a mistake."

Katara nodded. After the conversation she had with Zuko, she could see where Roku was coming from. He tended to blame himself and sometimes he could be impulsive. At the wrong moment, that could end up making the situation worse.

"Katara, I really don't like this."

"Aang, we fought an entire war together. I'll be ok."

"I know. I just thought now that the war is over we could live normal lives. I thought I wouldn't have to watch you go into danger like this again. I … I can't lose you." He looked away from her.

Katara sighed. Placing a hand gently on his shoulder, she turned him back towards her. "Hey, you're not going to lose me. I can take care of myself." She smiled.

Aang sighed in resignation, "I know."

Katara kissed him lightly, "Thanks, Aang."

He returned the kiss with a deeper one. When it ended, a playful smile lit up his face, "Hey, do you wanna go to the gardens with me?"

"Why?"

"I thought maybe we could … um … eat sooooome … peaches?"

Katara laughed, but in her stomach, a stone dropped. The smile didn't reach his eyes. "Sure. Let's go."

As the two of them headed off together, Katara felt like the issue hadn't been dealt with, merely pushed under the rug. But for now, she thought, it would be better to leave it there.

* * *

Hi everyone!

So sorry about the long delay! August and September were crazy with school starting up and everything. I will try to keep a steady schedule going now that things have calmed down a little!

Thanks so much to everyone who has reviewed and followed this story! It really means a lot to me! I do intend to get through this story, and I don't think I could let it go dead because my head keeps coming back to it.

Thanks again,

See you next chapter!


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